China gets backing for Rohingya plan

BEIJING • China yesterday said Myanmar and Bangladesh have backed its plan to resolve a crisis that has caused over 600,000 Rohingya refugees to flee to Bangladesh.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi presented a "three-phase solution" during visits to Bangladesh last week and Myanmar at the weekend.

The plan starts with a ceasefire in Myanmar's Rakhine state. It then moves to calls for the international community to encourage Myanmar and Bangladesh to keep up talks on finding a "feasible solution". The final phase involves finding a long-term solution focused on poverty alleviation.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Duterte offers China telco opportunity

MANILA • Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has offered China an opportunity to create a third telecommunication provider in the Philippines, his spokesman said yesterday, using rapidly warming ties with Beijing to break a duopoly that consumers blame for poor services.

Mr Duterte made the offer in a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Manila earlier this month, said presidential spokesman Harry Roque.

Banned Cambodian officials step down

PHNOM PENH • Elected officials of Cambodia's banned opposition party have begun handing over their duties, after a court ordered the party dissolved, the government said yesterday.

The Supreme Court outlawed the Cambodia National Rescue Party last week at the request of Prime Minister Hun Sen's government.

REUTERS